Deflection transmitter



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DEFLECTION TRANSMITTER Filed April 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor's B121 511. M Tuyl cw Lewis Rfifilrnfls'huw ElumuE'LB- Gveen.

Dec. 7, 1943. G. M. TAYLOR EI'AL DEFLECTION TRANSMITTER Filed April 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IlllIIllll/A 111v E 11+. [:1 rs

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Patented Dec. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEFLECTION TRANSMITTER Application April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,348

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a deflection or lead transmitter, and while intended for general use, it is particularly adapted for use in the fire control system of our U. S. copending application, Serial No. 312,380, filed January 4, 1940.

It is an object of the invention to provide a deflection transmitter which may be used to directly transmit a principal computed deflection or modify such principal deflection in accordance with factors affecting the deflection pointing correction.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a deflection transmitter which may be used to displace the corresponding deflection or lead index of a central control box in the manner the deflection transmitters I4 and I5 are used in the above referred to copending application, or to directly impress the output deflection upon the sight of a gun.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a deflection transmitter conforming to our present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the transmitter taken just below the transmitter dial;

Fig. 3 is an axially vertical section of the transmitter.

Referring now to the drawings by characters of reference there is shown a deflection or lead transmitter generally indicated at I suitable for use in transmitting either vertical or lateral leads or deflections from a lead computer to a gun or central control box, such for example, that it may be employed to carry out the functions of the transmitters I4 or I disclosed by the schematic fire control system in Fig. 1 of our copending application above referred to.

The transmitter I0 comprises a casing II formed in any convenient manner to provide a centrally disposed generally cup shaped portion I2 an annular flange I3 extending outwardly from the upper edge portion of the cupped part I2 in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the cupped portion. The bottom of the cupped portion I2 is suitably formed with an axially arranged depending downwardly opening socket forming element I4 adapted to house any desired means, herein shown as an interiorly threaded sleeve I5 secured within the socket, for detachably receiving a supporting post or standard I6. As is well understood in the art the socket forming element I4 may be reinforced by the circumferentially spaced reinforcing webs I 1 extended between the bottom of the cupped portion I2 and element I4 shown in Fig. 3.

The interior of the cupped portion I2 is provided with inwardly extending circumferentially spaced abutments I8 which receive the flange I9 of a tubular bearing bracket 20 disposed within the cupped portion in coaxial relation. The abutments I8 support the flange I 9 at any desired height above the bottom of the cupped portion and are bored and interiorly threaded, or' otherwise suitably formed, to receive removable fasteners 2| for removably securing the bearing bracket to the abutments. As shown more particularly in Fig. 3 the plane containing the upper surface of the bearing bracket 20 terminates slightly below the plane containing the uppermost surface of flange I3 and the bracket is formed to receive spaced upper and lower bearings 22 and 23, respectively, in which a shaft 24 is journaled axially of the bearing bracket and cupped portion I2. Shaft 24 projects above the plane containing the upper surface of the upper bearing a slight distance and is retained in such position by a shoulder 25 on the shaft which engages the upper bearing 22. A worm wheel 26 is secured to the lower end portion of shaft 24 in abutting relation with. the lower bearing 23 and serves to maintain the latter in its assembled relation in the bearing bracket 20.

On the outside of the tubular bearing bracket 20 a second worm wheel 26' is mounted concentric thereto by means of the spaced upper and lower bearings 21 and 28 suitably secured in position by an adjustable nut 29 having a seal retaining groove 30 in its upper surface and adapted to be locked in adjusted position by a set screw 3|. Preferably the upper surface of the worm wheel 26' terminates in a plane slightly below the plane of the upper surface of flange I3 and slightly above the plane containing the upper surface of bearing bracket 20.

Interiorly of its peripheral portion 32 the flange I3 is recessed to provide an annular seal retaining groove 33 and recessed portion 34 adapted to receive a circular dial 35 positioned with its upper surface in planar relation With the upper surface of the peripheral portion 32 of the flange.

The dial 35 is centrally apertured at 36 to snugly receive the shoulder 25 on shaft 24 and is secured to the worm wheel 26' in planar relation with the peripheral portion 32 of flange I3 and concentric with shaft 24 by removable fasteners 31 and with suitable seals 36 disposed in the grooves 39 and 33 ngaging the lower surface of the dial in sealed relation.

A time of flight and target speed arm 39 having parallel edges is secured to the shoulder of shaft 24, as by removable fasteners 49, with its edges laterally offset from and parallel to a radius of the dial as more particularly shown in Fig. 1. The arm 39 is suitably graduated in target speeds, such as yards per second, on one of the parallel fiducial edges, and graduated in units of time of flight. such as seconds, on the other fiducial edge. These two scales may be used interchangeable since target speed is proportional to time of flight. A scale pointer 4| is secured to the outer end of arm 39 and terminates on a radial line. through the axis of the chart parallel to the edges of the arm 39. Scale pointer 4| is read against a scale on the peripheral portion 32 of flange l3 hereinafter described. To facilitate reading the target speed or time of flight scales on the arm 39 against the curves inscribed on the subjacent dial a rider 42 having inscribed thereon an index 43 is slidably mounted on the arm. The index 43 is adapted to be placed in registration with a desired scale reading on the arm. A'pointer 44 also inscribed on rider 42 in ali nment with the index 43 terminates on a radial line parallel to the edges of the arm 39.

As disclosed in Fig. 2 a tangential bearing housing 45 made inte ral with the cupped portion |2 of easing II or otherwise aflixed thereto extends outwardly any convenient distance from the lower portion of the cupped part l2. A bearing sleeve 46 is secured within the bearing housing 45 as by the set screw 41 and carries in an desirable manner spaced bearings 48 in which a shaft 49 is journaled in alignment with the worm wheel 26. The inner end of the shaft has a worm 59 secured, thereon in meshing relation with the worm wheel 26 and the outer end has secured thereto a handwheel 5|. The housing 45 is provided with an angle outlet 52 intermediate its ends in which the cou ling shaft 53. adapted to be coupled with a flexible transmission cable 5 is journaled in geared relation with the shaft 49 through the intermeshing ears 55, 56 secured to the shafts, respectively.

A second tangential housing indicated at 51 in Fig. 2 suitably spaced circumferentially from the housing 45 is made integral with or otherwise affixed to the cupped portion I2 of casing II and opens into the cupped portion in proximity to the teeth of worm wheel 26'. Spaced bearings 58 mounted within the housing 51 and a drive shaft 59 is journaled in the innermost bearing 58 having a worm 69 secured thereto d sposed in meshing relation with the worm wheel 26'. A flexible cable coupling shaft 6|, adapted to be coupled with the flexible cable 62 operable by the superelevation transmitter 63, is journaled in the outer bearing 58 and interconnected with shaft 59 by the sleeve 64 and pin connections 65 indicated in Fig. 2.

symmetrically arranged circumferentially relative to the housings 45 and 57 is a radial extending handle bracket 66 integral with or otherwise secured to the cupped portion I2 and bear ing a socket within its outer end portion adapted to receive suitable means, such as the interiorly threaded bushing 61 secured by means 69, unto which a. handle may be removably secured.

The housings 45, 51 and bracket 66 extend outwardly substantially the same radial extent as flange I3 whereby when the handle I0 is detached from the transmitter the latter may be packed in a chest of a width corresponding closely with the diameter of the flange I3.

To provide a convenient place to dispose of the superelevation transmitter 63 when the same is not in use a hook II is secured to the post I6 upon which the transmitter 63 may be detachably secured.

The peripheral portion 32 of the flange l3 has a scale 12 engraved or otherwise inscribed there- 'upon of angular units of deflection or lead, for

example in mils, and when the transmitter is employed in the fire control system disclosed in Fig. 1 of our copending application above referred to this scale will be coordinated with the scale 5| or 5| of the lead transmitter scales on the control box I I shown therein. The deflection curves on the dial 35 are plotted by polar coordinates and agree in numbering with the scale I2 in the same order.

The polar curves on dial 35 are mutually perpendicular to a radial line passing through the center of rotation of the dial 35 and this line designated as 390 is covered up in Fig. 1 by arm 39. The curves on the dial are plotted by using vectorial angles proportional to the lead for agiven target speed and the polar radii proportional to the target speed. The dial 35 is zeroized by bringing line 390 thereon in alignment with line 309 on the stationary scale 12. In an illustrated example if it is assumed that a normal distance from the center of rotation of dial 35 corresponds to 50 yards per second target speed, it will be seen that when the rider 42 is set with its index 43 on the target speed graduation on arm 39 of 50 yards per second and the associated pointer 44 on rider 42 placed in coincidence with a given deflection curve on the dial 35 that pointer 4| on arm 39 will indicate a lead on scale 12 numerically the same as the deflection curve. For speeds other than the normal speed of target of 50 yards per second the rider 42 will be so set and in following a given deflection curve on the dial 35 with the rider so set the pointer 4| will indicate a lead on scale 72 corresponding to the ratio of the actual or target speed set on the arm 39 to the normal target speed multiplied by the lead for a target traveling at normal target speed. The target speed and range being correlated by the lead computer does not enter into the operation of the transmitter per se. In lieu of using target speeds the time of flight may be used and the scale in seconds on arm 39 is such a scale to be used in lieu of the target speed scale. This is so since target speed is proportional to time of flight.

In operation the transmitter will be set up by inserting the post I6 in bushing 5 and handle 19 in bushing 61. The post will then be placed into the earth or other suitable supporting medium and cables 54 and 62 coupled with their respective coupling members 53 and 6|, respectively. The dial 35 will be zeroized by bringing its normal 390 which is hid by arm 39 in Fig. 1 and which extends normal to all curves on dial 35 and which comprises a straight line passing through :the center of rotation of dial 35 into coincidence with the normal of 309 on scale 72.

The operator on arm 39 w1ll receive the target speed from any source for determining such data, for example the lead computer, and set the index 42 on arm 39 accordingly. The operator on handwheel will then cause the pointer 44 to follow the proper deflection curve on dial 35,, the deflection curve to be followed being designated by the lead computer. In following the curves on dial 35 with pointer 44 the shaft 49 and gearing 5655 will drive coupling 53 and flexible cable 54 to either displace the sight of a gun or scale of another" transmitter, where the transmitter is used. in the same capacity as the transmitter 14 or I5 of Fig. 1 of the above referred to copending application cable 54 will correspond to either one of cables l'l.

Where the lead transmitter of this invention is employed to transmit vertical leads the superelevation pointing correction may be added to the principal vertical deflection through displacement of the dial 35 from its oriented position with its normal 300 in coincidence with the normal 300 of scale 12 by means of the superelevation transmitter 63, flexible cable 62, coupling 6|, shaft 59 and worm 60 which meshes with worm wheel 26' carrying the dial. It will be observed that by this arrangement that the output lead of the transmitter will be increased or decreased an amount proportional to the superelevation.

In those cases where the transmitter is to be used exclusively for the transmission of lateral leads the worm 26', housing 51 and associated shafting and gearing may be dispensed with entirely in which case the dial 35 will be suitably secured to the flange l3.

In all cases the ratio of the gearing employed will be coordinated with the scales, output shafts,

and complementary instruments of the fire control-systemin which the transmitter is used so that the output leads will cause proportional movements of the elements upon which they are impressed.

Having now particularly described what is at present regarded as a preferred embodiment of our invention what we claim is:

In a lead determining and transmitting device 0 of the type which employs a polar chart, means for turning the said chart, and an angularly adjusted arm provided with a rider radially adjusted in accordance with the speed of the target, the combination of a casing, an annular flange encircling the said casing and serving to support the outer portions of the chart centered on the top surface of the said casing and flange, a handwheel disposed at one side of the said casing and operatively connected to the said arm to angularly adjust the arm, a stud shaft Journaled in the said casing and operatively connected to the said handwheel and provided with means outside the said device adapted to be connected to a gun, whereby manipulation of the said handwheel in adjusting the said arm to the determined lead is adapted to regulate the said gun in accordance therewith, and a superelevation transmitter in the form of a separate, smaller unitary casing operatively connected to the said chart turning means to turn the same through a flexible shaft.

GALEN M. TAYLOR. SAMUEL G. GREEN. LEWIS R. BRADSHAW. 

